Control mechanism for well pumps



June 16, 1953 J, S 2,642,507

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WELL PUMPS Filed Oct. 16, 1951 ATTORNE Y5 Patented June 16, 1953 "UNlTED s r-"Ares PATENT OFFICE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WELL ames ltiatt West, Fayetteviilleflenn. Application ()ctobel' 16, 1951, Sei-idl Na- 251,57!

The invention relates to control mechanism for well pumps and particularly to mechanism .for :operating an electrical switch 'to control apump. The present arrangement is an improvement upon'that'disclosed in my Tprior application S. 'N. 58,434, filed November 5., 1948, for Control Mechianism for Well Pump.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple yet efiective device which will'contro'l a pump so as to regulate the level of water.

The device may be used either as a high level or low level control.

.In pumping water from wells, it 'is important that so much water shall not be withdrawn that the water level falls below the .pumping barrel, or, in other words, that the well shall not be pumped dry. The present arrangement may be used for cutting off the pump before the level of the water falls below'the pumping barreLan'd for cutting the pump back on when the water rises .above a given level substantially higher than the lower level.

The arrangement may "also be used for controlling the water in a sump so as to operate the pump whenever the waterreaches a given height, and to keep the pump operating until the water drops to alevel substantially lower than 'itsmaxi- .mum height, so as to prevent an excessive amount of water from accumulating in the sump.

Another object of the invention then-is to provide a device of this type which allows a wide range between the water levels at which the pump is turned on and ofi.

'Still a further object ofthe inventionis to provide a device of this type in which the member which moves in responseto the water level, which may be a float or a weight, moves through only ashort distance as compared "to the distance between the two'water levels so that the movable switch member has an equally short movement and the whole device can therefore be made small, light in weight and compact. The invention contemplates an arrangement in which the float or weight stays in raised position until the lower water level is reached, then drops a short distance to actuate the switch and turn on or on the pump, and then stays in lowered position until the upper water levelis nearly reached, rising thereafter only a short distance to'a'ctua'te the switch and turn the pump off or on.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of this type in which an elongated float or weight is used to control the switch, this float having a vertical movement which is only a small portion of its total length.

In general, the invention provides some means which yielding ly resists downward movement of the float or weight, this means being capable of sustaining a great part of the weight of the float or weight, but not the whole weight, so that when the float is completely orqalmost completely out 11 "Claims. (Cl. ion-8 1) of the water it will'move downwardly and turn the switch member.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which "form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

=1 :shows a cross section of a hole in which the water level is to be regulated, together with the control mechanism, according to the present "mechanism in different positions during its operation.

The arrangement, as shown in the drawings, is utilized for controlling the level of'water in article '2, which may be, for example, a well, a sump or the like. The control mechanism includesabase 4, on which are two upstanding plates or earsfi. A pivot 8 extends through and is journalled in these plates and on this is mounted a'bloc'k I 9 of some suitable material. The pivoting movement of block lflis limited'by adjustable stops 12., which are threadedly-carried-by base 4 on opposite sides of pivot 8.

Block 10 carries a generally horizontally extending tube M, which may be of metal. The greater part of the length of this tube is on one side (right-hand side in Fig. 1) "of pivot'8. Members l6 are threaded in each end of the tube, and have on their inner ends cup-shaped portions I8, for receiving a ball 10. "On the bottom side of tube 14 are wedge-shaped .plates .22, the thicker ends of whichare located adjacent cups I 8, while the thinner ends are adjacent the longitudinal center of the tube.

A flexible member, such .as a chain 24, is secured to block 10 on the-opposite side of pivot -8 from the greater part ot-tube Ii, and connected to the chain is a'weight or float 26.

Pivot 8 is-rigidwith block it] and turns in :ears 6. On the outside of one of the ears, also rigid with'pivot 8, is amercury switch 28, which is connected by'wires 3!] to a suitable pump 32.

The arrangement above described operates as follows:

Assuming that the device is to 'be used to p-reventthe level of the water in a well from falling toolow, the switch 28 is arranged so as to close and thus tooperate :the'pump when the mechanism is inthe position shown in'F-igs. l and 3, .and to break the *c'ircuit'when the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 5. Member .26 is .of

such'weight with respect to the weight of member H that when the level of the water is such as to submerge anysubstantialipart of the member 2'6, the tube and balllelflywhich under these condi tions is at the right-hand :end of the tube as shown in Fig. 3, outbalances the member 26 and holds the mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 3, in which, for the purposes of a well pump, switch 28 is closed and the pump operates. However, the weight of member 26 is enough when it is completely out of the water to overbalance.

member I l and ball 20, and when the water level drops below the lower end of member 26 it will' swing the member 14 to the position shown in Fig. a. At this point, because of the slope of wedge member 22, the ball will startto roll to the left, and as the weight resisting the movement of member 26 repeatedly decreases because of the decreased leverage exerted by ball 29, the parts will shift rapidly to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the switch is open and the pump stops operating. Thus, when the level of the water is too low the pump cannot draw any more water from the well.

As the water level rises, the effective weight of member 26 decreases because of the buoyancy of the water, but since ball 20 is at the left-hand end of tube Hi the parts remain in the position shown in Fig. until member 26 is almost entirely submerged. The part I4 is of such weight and is so positioned with respect to the pivot 8 that it will overbalance the pull of the member 26 and chain 24 when member 26 is completely submerged. When this takes place, the members will shift from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that of Fig. 4, and the left-hand Wedge 22 will cause the ball to start rolling towards the right. Upon this action, the ball will rapidly complete its travel and will shift the switch 28 quickly to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in which the pump 32 is energized.

For use as a sump pump or the like, switch 28 is reversed, and will close when, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5 and open when they are in the position of Fig. 1. of the parts in response to changes in the water level will take place in the same manner as I have described above.

The end positions of the ball 25 can be regulated by turning member 16 to compensate, for example, for variations in the length of chain 24 or for any other needed adjustment.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the claims hereto or hereinafter appended.

I claim:

1. Well control mechanism comprising, a generally horizontal elongated member mounted to turn on a substantially horizontal axis, a mass mounted for movement longitudinally of said The shifting axis than the portion of the member on the other side of the axis and the mass when the mass is at the close and remote points respectively.

3. Well control mechanism comprising a support, a substantially horizontal pivot carried by said support, a block mounted to rock on said pivot, a tube carried by said block and extending generally horizontally with its longitudinal axis transverse to the vertical plane of the pivot axis, a mass movable longitudinally within said tube, means tolimit movement of said mass to a path between a point close to and a point remote from said vertical plane, means to attach a water-level-responsive member to the said block on the other side of the pivot from said remote point, and electric circuit making and breaking means operatively connected to said block to be operated by rocking of the block about the pivot axis, the portion of the mechanism on the same side of the axis-as the remote point being heavier than the portion on the. other side of the axis when the mass is at the point close to said vertical plane.

4. Mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which said mass is a ball.

5. Mechanism as claimed in claim 4 in which said movement limiting means are adjustable longitudinally of the tube.

6. Mechanism as claimed in claim 5, in which said movement limiting means include inwardly directed cup-shaped members adjacent each end of the tube and stems carrying said cup-shaped members and threaded in the ends of the tube.

7. Well control mechanism comprising a support, a substantially horizontal pivot pin mounted to turn in said support, a block rigid with said pin, a tube carried by said block and extending generally horizontally with its longitudinal axis transverse to the vertical plane of the axis of said pin, a mass movable longitudinally within said tube, means to limit movement of said mass to a path between a point close to and a point remote from said vertical plane, means to attach a water-level-responsive member to the said block on the other side of the pivot from said remote point, and a mercury switch rigid with said pin, the portion of the mechanism on the same side of the axis as the remote point being heavier than the portion on the other side of the axis member, means carried by said member to limit 7 of the axis as the remote point being heavier 7} than the portion on the other side of the axis when the mass is at a point close to the axis.

2. In mechanism as claimed in claim 1, an element connected to said member by said attaching means, said element and the portion of the member on the same side of the axis exerting greater and less leverage respectively about the when the mass is at the point close to said vertical plane.

8. Mechanism as claimed in claim 3 in which said mass is a ball, said tube havinga bottom surface sloping slightly from points adjacent each end towards the longitudinal center thereof.

9. Mechanism as claimed in claim 8 in which said, movement limiting means are adjustable longitudinally of the tube.

10. Mechanism as claimed in claim 9, in which said movement limiting means include inwardly directed cup-shaped members adjacent each end of the tube and stems carrying said cup-shaped members and threaded in the ends of the tube.

11. Mechanism as claimed in claim 10 having adjustable stop means to limit the rocking of said block.

JAMES MATT WEST.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,262,168 Brown 1 Apr. 9, 1918 1,393,312 Perry Oct. 11, 1921 1.778,439 Walker Oct. 14, 1930 

